Show me
by DustyBooks
Summary: Levi is one of the best designers around, and with a big fashion show coming up in a week, he needs to be on top of his game. While struggling with his anxiety, and with the pressure of being in the spotlights, will he collapse under the weight of it all? And why does Erwin want to meet him after the show? Is it love? Or is it something else entirely?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own shingeki no kyojin / Attack on Titan.  
This story may contain some mild swearing, and it might not be suitable for younger audiences to read.

A/N:

Hello there,

Thank you for visiting this story, and welcome.  
Feel free to leave me a review at any time, your feedback is always greatly appreciated.  
If you think you have an idea for the plot, don't hesitate to tell me about it!  
While writing, I make stuff up as I go, so there is always room for plot twists and other additions.  
I will make sure to reply to each and every review at the bottom of every chapter!  
Furthermore, I hope you will enjoy what I'll post in this story and don't forget to have a good day!

Love, DustyBooks

-xoxo-

It had been the headline of all the important magazines.  
It would be the most exclusive show this season, more grande than anything they'd ever done before, and there was only one more week to go before it all begun. He couldn't go anywhere without paparazzi waiting for him- camera's flashing and microphones being held up in his face.  
Levi took a breath, steadied himself and pushed open the door of his apartment. Blinding light assaulted his tired eyes immediately- loud clicking and photographers asking him to look their way. Mike was waiting for him, holding open the door of the limousine for him to get in. Ignoring the people around him, Levi hurried to the vehicle, muttering a 'thank you' to Mike before he slammed the door shut.  
Today he had a tight schedule. First he would have to help Erwin with his final fitting and make the necessary adjustments. After that he would head out again for the first practice round on the actual runway. His models would be there at 10 am. If he made haste he might be able to finish up around 3 pm, get back to his atelier and work on some of the costumes he would be displaying.

It was a lot of stress, but Levi dealt with it quite well. Of course his insomnia and panic issues begged to differ, but as long as nobody knew about that Levi felt he was doing okay.  
They arrived at his atelier where some of his employees had already started their day.  
At the gate, there were a few people to take pictures, but not as many as there usually were at his home. He had always made sure there were enough people to hold them back, and the blinds were always drawn shut so they couldn't see through the windows. Not only to keep his new creations hidden, but also for the privacy of himself and his employees.  
Upon exiting the car, he gave Mike a short wave to tell him he could leave.

"Good morning sir!" Several voices called out when he entered the atelier through the back door.  
Levi nodded in acknowledgement before heading to his workplace. He had given everybody enough space for their work, they all had their own large table and sewing machine, including himself.  
Today, they were with a group of four.  
Petra was busy with her sewing machine, working with a very soft dusty pink fabric. She was humming quietly to herself, probably the songs she sang to her little girl at home.  
She was a sweet woman, a great seamstress and an even better mom. Her little girl was now four years old, an adorable little shit. Levi wasn't always very fond of little kids, but this one was a different story.  
He had been there when she was born, when she learned to talk she called him Uncle Levi, and for every birthday, Levi made sure to design a little dress for the kid.

Next to Petra's table sat Levi's childhood friend Hanji, typing wildly at her keyboard.  
She was basically the one who sorted out e-mails and letters, communication had never really been Levi's forte. She was also the one who planned shows and made deadlines, without Hanji Levi probably would've remained where he had been a few years ago. Designer in a small atelier, making everything himself and earning just enough to rent a small apartment.  
Ever since she started to promote and showcase his work, especially the more eccentric things he usually kept to himself, he got more and more attention, climbing up to be one of the most well-known designers in Europe. Never had he thought he was capable of this, and yet here he was, getting request after request for the most important business people, the most high-end fashion shows, photoshoot after photoshoot. Important people wanted him to talk to them, asked him to visit their parties.

Despite these ridiculous changes that took place in his live, Levi still quietly lived in his tiny apartment, and he still made a lot of clothing by himself.

He had enough employees now to do this for him, all he really had to do was to make the initial design and they would put it together, but one needs to remain humble and Levi took great pleasure in his work.  
His employees were more like colleagues- some even friends- to him and he liked it that way.  
Sometimes he found it difficult to be at this place in the industry, he was famous now, something he had never planned for- it just kind of... happened.

"Levi, I've scheduled an interview for next week, on Thursday." Hanji told him as he walked past. "I know we have little time but I saw you had a gap at 5."  
Without giving it any thought Levi threw her a glare. "Call them back and tell them I don't want to waste my precious time on their uninspiring small talk." He said.  
Before Hanji could reply, there was a soft bell. The guests entrance, must be Erwin.  
"Armin, we've got a customer." Levi said.  
Quickly, the young intern got up and hurried to the front of the building. No time to waste- one of the first things the blonde kid had learned here in the atelier.  
Whilst Armin went to fetch Erwin, Levi grabbed the suit he'd been working on- internally screaming because he knew Hanji wouldn't cancel that stupid interview.

-xoxo-

It was a very beautiful work, a two-piece suit- cashmere and pashmina wool combined to make a very soft and shiny fabric perfect for daily wear, yet eye-catching and outstanding. The color was a dark aubergine like purple. The added tie was a high contrast blue, matching the color of Erwin's eyes spot on. Purple made blue appear much more intense, and since Erwin secretly really liked to stand out, a purple suit was the way to go.  
Levi sat on one knee, a few pins between his lips as he adjusted the suit where needed.

"There we go, should be ready by tomorrow." Levi said, looking up at the tall man he kneeled before.  
He knew that he was going to have to work through the night to get it done, but Erwin was a loyal customer and this was important to him.  
"That's great. I'll send someone to pick it up by noon." Erwin said, his voice smooth like velvet.  
Levi got back up, favoring his bad leg and then helping the man out of the jacket. "Oh, and Levi. I heard all about the show next week, and I want you to know that I will be present. I am very much looking forward to see the new collection, please look for me in the crowd, will you?" His blue eyes sparkled. "It'd be good to see you for a bit after the show, too."  
A bit confused, Levi nodded. "Yeah, sure, that'd be good."

Once Erwin was done changing again, he gave the designer a firm squeeze on the shoulder. "Good luck." And while he walked to the door, he added one more thing. "I'll wait for you."  
The door closed quietly behind him. Half an hour left before runway practice.

-xoxo-

The space seemed way too big now, without any audience or decorations. It seemed impossible to think that there would be hundreds of people here soon, that his hand-picked models would walk the runway, that he was going to have to stand there too- if only for a few seconds. There was no time to worry about it though, he had work to do.  
"Eren! Keep your expression blank. This is not about you, it is about the clothing you are wearing." He said.  
The boy pouted at this, a bit disappointed.  
This would be his first big show, he was absolutely pumped, beyond excited to be in the spotlight next Friday.  
If anything the designer felt the complete opposite. And on top of that, his thoughts kept going back to Erwin. Seeing Erwin after the show, what was that about?

Everything went smoothly, the models knew exactly when to come on stage, where to look and how to pose. Levi felt a slight amount of relief.  
They went through the details together, did one practice round and discussed what needed to be improved, then they tried again. Even though things appeared to go well, Levi couldn't help but notice some imperfections.  
"Jean, get down here, your shoe is loose- Who tied your shoes? You could easily break your legs on those if they don't strap you in right."  
"Eren- YOUR FACE. BLANK. NOW."  
"My god, Mikasa you too. No expression please, you look like you're about to kill someone."  
"Have you ever walked in heels before?"  
"Dear Lord have mercy on my soul."  
Then Levi called for a lunch break. Whilst everybody relaxed for a bit and ate, he called the atelier to see how far they'd come and to see if his fabric had been delivered yet. Of course it hadn't. He would have to go pick it up himself. Again. Like things weren't too busy already.  
After his models had gotten something to eat, he made them do another round on the runway, from the beginning to the end in one go.  
Everything went a lot better this time, even the less experienced Historia managed to keep up with his demanding routine.  
His phone buzzed.

 _FROM: Shitty Glasses. 2:01 PM._  
 _-Did you have lunch today? I know you forgot to eat breakfast._

He didn't bother to respond, instead helped Ymir with her walk. His face was bored as usual, though he knew he wouldn't keep it up for long. Any moment now, he could just snap. Anything could trigger it.  
He knew he just needed to get through the day, he only had to finish Erwin's suit and then he could go home to hopefully catch some sleep. One more week before it was all over. Then he could break down all he wanted. Just not now. Not yet.

When they were all done, he gathered the group around to have a word. He took a breath, this wasn't something he was good at, but it was important for his models to know he didn't mean to hurt them with his harshness. It was just his way of improving their skills.  
"Everybody. Thank you for your efforts today, you did surprisingly well. This show, this means a lot to our name. I'm very proud of you all, you came a long way. Well done."  
Their faces lit up and although they would never say it to his face, most of them knew that Levi was kinder than he liked to admit. The designer gave them a nod. They could go home.

-xoxo-

Mike kindly picked him up to drive to the atelier. Levi always disliked the idea of having a driver, but ever since the accident a while ago he didn't really trust himself to stay focused on the road. He would go back to driving in some time, he had promised himself, but that could wait until after Friday. There was enough to deal with already.  
He thanked Mike for his work, told him he didn't need a ride to his apartment tonight. Mike protested, it was a long walk, but the glare he got in return made him shut up.  
Levi reminded himself to give the guy a bonus on top of his regular salary, and made his way to the atelier.

At 5 pm Petra, Hanji and Armin went home one by one. Only Hanji stopped by his working space real quick.  
"Promise me to eat dinner tonight, okay? And don't overwork yourself." She said.  
Levi nodded, not really listening as he worked on Erwin's suit. Hanji waited a few seconds, but when she got no response, she sighed and left as well.  
"I'll see you tomorrow, Little one."

-xoxo-

A/N:

Well, here we are. Chapter one is up! I hope to see you in the next chapter!

Love, DustyBooks.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin / Attack on Titan.  
This story may contain some mild swearing, and it might not be suitable for younger audiences to read.

-xoxo-

A wreck. A complete wreck, nothing left in tact. The small car had slammed against barrier aside the road- total loss on impact and the whole thing flipped upside down. By the time the police arrived, smoke had begun to rise up from somewhere in the vehicle. There was no screams for help, nothing to indicate any survivors here.

The door at the drivers seat was blocked, no matter how hard they pulled- it wouldn't budge. The door on the other side was pressed against the barrier. Crouching low, they peeked through what used to be the front window, and the scene which greeted them was a true horror to behold.  
Being held in place by the seat belt, hanging limply upside down was a young man. Blood dripped down from where the belt had cut into pale skin, a steady stream of crimson leaking down his neck to the side of his face. One of his legs was bent up a bit, as though he had tried to push himself out, but his left leg remained near the pedals, stuck there with bent metal and the crushed dashboard against it. The smell of gasoline and burning plastic assaulted their noses when they came nearer.  
The vehicle could explode. They both knew. It would be a lot of trouble to get the guy out of here, if he was still alive, and their time was ticking away.  
Moving forward on his stomach, one of them, a young rookie named Parker, pushed himself to the window. The space was clouded with smoke, it was hard to breathe.  
Carefully he worked his upper body into the vehicle, gently pressing two fingers down on the neck, unable to avoid the blood that now stained his hands.

"And?" His colleague called from behind. "Parker?"  
Parker turned to him. "He's still breathin' but he's proper stuck. I need some help here."  
The paramedics should be the ones to pull him out, but they weren't here yet, and the smell of gas got more present by the second.  
"We need to get his leg free and then we can cut him loose."

Together they squeezed halfway into the vehicle, and upon close inspection they saw what they had to do.  
First, they would have to pull the dashboard down to the ground and then they would be able to pry free his leg. Parker wrapped an arm around the upside-down shoulders of the motionless figure to prevent him from shifting too much as the other agent began to pull away at the wreckage on top of the leg.  
It wasn't going to go as smoothly as one would've hoped, though.  
Immediately when the first pieces were pulled out of the way, the man suddenly moved, cried out. His eyes shot open, piercing grey eyes- filled with nothing but sheer terror as something which was lodged _inside_ his leg shifted.

-xoxo-

"Earth to Levi? Were you listening to me?" She was sitting on the edge of his table, dangerously close to a steaming hot cup of tea. "You look like absolute shit. Did you even sleep last night?"  
It was late in the afternoon on Friday, which meant that every single piece for the show had to be finished by now and they needed to go get the fabric that hadn't been delivered.  
So far everything went according to plan, Petra was working on the very last runway piece and everything else was packed and ready to go.  
Absentmindedly rubbing his leg he told Hanji not to worry so much and take a shower instead.  
Earlier today, an employee of Erwin stopped by to pick up his suit. Another thing checked off the list, so apart from their normal orders, there weren't many tasks at hand.  
The two of them had taken a break for the first time that day, eating a late lunch at 3 o'clock. Without much of an appetite Levi forced some food down, making small talk with his friend.  
"Sure I'll shower tonight. What are you up to this weekend?" Her glasses were glinting in the light, she looked a bit manic.  
With a shrug Levi replied. "I'll be working out on Saturday morning, but nothing much otherwise. We've done well with our schedules so I finally have an actual weekend off."  
Hanji smiled broadly. He already knew what she was going to say.  
"So that means you can go out for drinks with us!"  
He glared at her, but he already knew he would be going along. It wasn't really like he had a choice, if he said no, she would come to his house to pick him up anyways.  
As Hanji babbled along about the bar they'd be going to, Levi's phone buzzed.

 _FROM: Isabel. 3:16 PM.  
_ _\- You're gonna want to see this. Turn on the TV, channel 8._

He immediately had this gut feeling. Isabel knew not to text him at work, so it was probably important.  
Frowning, Levi got up to turn on the TV. They had a small one in the corner of the atelier for when the radio became too boring.  
Beside him Hanji quieted down and Petra looked up from her work to see what was so interesting.  
There were two people sitting on a couch, a popular celebrity news program they'd all seen before.

 _"-One and one makes two. He still has a noticeable limp in his left leg, right? He's not recovered fully yet and lately he has been working overtime at his atelier."_ The left guy said. " _That's why I wonder whether he is ready for a show this size. I mean, the added psychological trauma of an accident like this has to be huge. I don't think he would be mentally stable enough to handle the stress leading up to Friday. We've all heard the rumors about him having a panic disorder of some sorts. It's going to end badly- Mark my words!"  
_ The man next to him nodded. On the screen behind them, a picture appeared. It was Levi, exiting a hospital. That was when he had gone for a checkup three days ago.  
 _"Exactly, we all want to know how it will affect his performance as a leading designer in the industry. Is he mentally stable enough to keep up, or is it a matter of time before everything breaks down? We all can't wait for some answers, and even if he won't speak now, there'll be an interview with him on Thursday, the day before the show'll take place. We'll be asking him the real questions, all about the tragedy of his partner's death to the catastrophe on the highway that very same evening. Accident or act of desperation? Stay tuned for that!"_

His legs were stuck to the floor it seemed. Here he stood, in the middle of the workplace, all eyes on him. Not only Petra, Hanji and Armin, no. No. The entire fucking country. Right when he had everything under control. He felt the little bit of calm and quiet in his mind slip away from him in a matter of seconds. He had been on top of his game. He had been planning everything out. There was nothing that could go wrong.  
And now this. Everybody would question him. Rumor would go around; Designer lost his mind over deceased lover.  
It wasn't that far from the truth either. Not far from it at all.  
A hand was placed on his shoulder.  
"...I think we should just go out tonight instead." Hanji said.  
He let out a shaky breath and managed to nod. It had been a while since he'd gotten proper wasted anyhow.

A/N:

Hi,

This wasn't very long but I've got a plan for the next chapter so I think I'm just going to keep on writing now.  
I hope you like it, let me know what you think.  
Have a good day!

Love, DustyBooks.

Response to Reviews:

Anonympus - Thank you so much for your review, I'm glad to hear you liked the first chapter. Hopefully you'll enjoy this one too!


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